§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he collates in respect of the 8,855 animals which were rejected as unfit to travel prior to export from the United Kingdom in 1995; and if he will make a statement. [32102]
§ Mrs. BrowningThere is a considerable variety of circumstances in which animals may be rejected as unfit for an export journey. Central records are kept only of the numbers rejected.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, column 380, what were the ages of the 1,313 bovines and the 668 bovines exported from Great Britain to the Irish Republic in 1994 and 1995 and the 18,340 and 25,044 bovines exported from Great Britain in Northern Ireland in 1994 and 1995. [31785]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 7 June 1996]: The number of bovines exported to the Irish Republic were as recorded in the overseas trade statistics. These provide statistics on the exports from the United Kingdom as a whole and not just Great Britain.
The ages of bovines exported is not recorded within the overseas trade statistics, nor within the Animo system. However, so far as exports to the Republic of Ireland are concerned, Community rules in force since 1990 have prohibited the export from the UK to any member state of bovine animals over six months old.